Reciprocating pusher transfer device



July 4, 1950 o. M CULLOUGH RECIPROCATING PUSHER TRANSFER DEVICE 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1948 FNN @mw ww INVENTOR. LEWELL 0. Mc(ULLOUQH.

ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 L. o. MQCULLOUGH RECIPROCATING PUSHER TRANSFERDEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 5, 1948 INVENTOR. LEWELL Q MrCULLOUGH. BY g ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 1.. o. M CULLOUGH RECIPROCATINGPUSHER TRANSFER DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 5. 1948 m W m L 1 Mmv MW 1 M Mm r! E 0 o w a A W E Y B mwe MM m MW L. b. MOCULLOUGH2,513,662

'RECIP-ROCATING PUSHER TRANSFER DEVICE Jul 4, 1950 Filed 001;. 5, 1948 6Sheets-Sheet 5 2| 1 220i INVENTOR.

A TTOENEY Lawsu. 0. Me CULLOUGH Patented July 4, 1 950 RECIPROCATINGPUSHER 1 DEVICE neweu- 0. McCullough, Charlotte, n. 0., assignor' to:Lance, .Inc.,...Ghai-lotte-, N'.: -G,, a corporation of North Carolina.

' Application October 5, 194's, Serial'No. 52,950 I This inventionrelates to 'a- *rnechanism for i'nterrnittently feeding a predeterminednumber of articles from a stack of articles, such as peanut buttercrackers, cookies, cakes, sandwichesor the like, the stack of articlesbeing'disposed, preferably on edge, in a juxtaposed relation 'toeachother on a conveyor whereby the feeding mechanism feeds a predeterminednumber ofthe artifitclaims. (Cl. 19831) cl esonto a, second conveyoriorfeeding the article's into a suitable packaging or wrapping machine.

It isan object of this invention to provide a constantly driven conveyoronto which sandwiches or the like are fed from a sandwichmaking machineorthe like, the width of the-con veyor being substantially the same asthe width of a; sandwich, and to provide a, second conveyor disposed atright angles to the first conveyorand to provide-means for automaticallyfeeding aprodeterrnined number of the sandwiches from the first conveyorto the second conveyor inrahid succession, whereby the sandwiches arepositioned on the second conveyor in side by side relation to each otherfor .ieeding the sandwiches-to a suitable packagingsmachine orlwraippingor the like. l

It is another object of this invention to provide means disposed in the;path of. travel of the sandwiches on the firstv conveyor for arrestingmovement of the same and to provide a reciprocating bar whichreciprocates across a portion of the first conveyor onto a secondconveyor, which moves in step by step relation, for delivering thesandwiches to a suitable-,wrappingmachine or the like, and wherebyas thereciprocating bar moves across the first conveyorin a, feeding,operation, the; reciprocating bar has means thereon to pre vent thesandwiches which are not in the path of travel of the same from movingalong with the first conveyor and upon thereciprocat-ing bar moving outof the path of travel of the sandwiches, the sandwiches, will againadvance to en.- gage the first-named means for arresting movement of thesandwiches for a repeat operation.

Some of the objects of the invention having l Figure 1 is a 'top planview of the eeding mechanism with portionsoftheconveyors being vif!!! l1' Figure 3'- is' an elevation parts insection and being takensubstantially along the. line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the parts in.different relative positions from that shown in Figures 1 and? '3: andwith other parts being broken away and; being taken substantially alongthe line: l& in. Figure 1;

Figure 5 is. arr-enlarged vertical sectional view with parts 'brokenaway and; being: takensulostantially'alongthelineJSQEmFigure1;

Figure 6v an enlarged top: plan view of' the oentrak portion of Figurerand showing the parts the sameposition. as shown inFigure 4;:

Figure 7' is a top plan. view similar to Figure 6, but showing-i'theparts in stillanother position, and showing the sandwiches on. the firstconveyor;

Figure 8' is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the firstconveyor and is; taken substan,- tially along the line 8-Bin;1i.'ig.ur.e2;

Figure 9' is an enlarged elevation being taken Iookhig substantiallyalong the line '9-& in Figure 2;

Figure J10; is an enlarged vertical sectional view beingtaken-substantially along: the line Ill-H] in Figure "2 Figure I1 is an.enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the l :sl:-ltin Figure 2;

Figure 12' is an enlarged vertical. sectional view taken substantiallyalong the: line. Ill-I2 in Fig ure 2.. 1

Referring more specifically to the drawings and more especial-lytoFigures 1 and ,3 there may be observeda portion of a platemember-w. Thisplate member It is a conventional part of a wrapping machine; such asismanufiactured by the Wrights Automatic Machinery Company, Durham,North Carolina, for wrapping: peanut butter sandwiches or the like, thepresent invention being-provided as :a means .for automatically feedingthe sandwiches to a conveying apparatus in predetermined quantitiesandin step by "step timed relation with movement of this conveyorapparatus. Aportion of the conveyorwapparatus,

which is a part of thee-said wrapping: machine,

not shown, is :shown in Figures ii and Band-is broadly designated. bythereference character [2. A description of the aforesaid wrapping machineis given in a Pamphlet No. DB-P-1,printed for Wrights AutomaticMachinery Gompanyand entitled, MayePlex Cellophane Wrappeni and afurther description of the wrapping later described. I .1.

The conveying apparatus 2 I2 comprises side rails I3 and I4 (Figures 1and 3), the lower edges of which are supported on elongated bars [5 andI6, respectively, and these side rails are secured to the bars I5 and I6by angle clips I? and I8, respectively, which are, in turn, secured tothe side rails andthe elongated bars as -by screws The right hand ends'ofthe bars lf5 and I5 are each supported on a standard 22, only one ofwhich is shown (Figure 3).

rotatably mounted. The shaft-QQhas-a-sprocket; I wheel 3| fixedlymounted thereon and being dis- The upper endsof. the standards 22 aresecured, ..as by screws23,,

posed between the bearing blocks 2l andthis sprocket wheel 3| has theright-hand end of the sprocket chain; 32 being mountedf: on conventionalparts,,not shownioffllhe aforcsa xi; Wr pping machine. :5

Secured to: certain spacedzlinks oif athe. chain 32, are angle plates 34each havingra plate-35 secured thereto as by. akiscrew,.36.;. The, lowerreach -of.'.thewsprocket:chain 322 31161 the angle plates 34thereon-pass ;I'aetweenxthe vertical side walls ofa guide memberstir-which; is substantially U-shaped, in crossesection; r zTheipartsheretofore described .:are conventional; parts .:of the conveyor'I2,.which is Ia portion: of the aforesaid wrapping machine: and. ityisiwith these; .parts that; this invention is. adapted tocbeaassociated.

Referring to Figures 1; -2;:and'r3: there maybe observed horizontally:disposed tbarss-na'nd 45 which are secured. to -th'e:=lowerx surface;of the plate I0, as by screws 41 and these bars 453and 46 extendoutwardly 'andithe bar. 4fihassecured on the right-handendtherecfii'iniFigure.3zone end of a transverse barill, as by a bolt.5I..= ;'The

bar 50 is .slidablypenetrated iintermediat :its

ends. by a verticallydisposed: rod 1.52 (Figure 2) which also penetratesthe outer end of the bar 45 and nuts 53 are threadably mountedonthe rod52 and engage thefllower surf'aceaofssthe bar 45 and the upper surfaceof the bar i5ii'rtoithus secure them together as ..well :as: .torigidly: sup

-port the vertically disposederod 1 A rod 55, similar to the rod 52,slidably penetrates the bar. 50 adjacent-kits :left-liandi end: in

Figure 2 and is secured therein byh-lockinutsifi threadably mounted onthe lower end of the rod 55 and which engage opposite surfaces of i thebar 50. Welded to the up'perends of the vertically disposed rods J 52:andfl- 5'5 are transverse bars BI] and 6 I, respectively; the-righth'and ends of which in Figures 4, 8 and l-l have upwardly projectingportions 62 and 63; respectively, :integral therewith; .Welded ttoltheleft-hand surface of the upwardly projectingportions 62 and 53 0f thebars '60 and 6 I, respectively; isthe'righthand edge of a plate 65which-is-a-part-of a conveyor broadlydesignatedjat 101:

Referring (to Figures 8 an'd 10 i-t may be ob xserved that' the plate BShasWears -1-I-'-'and. =-l2 welded to opposite 'sides' thereof and:extending right-hand end; of the same=in Fignre 2 .and support a rod(Figure.-d'2) l ThE'irbd a-ll-lipn wiches pass therethrough. As thesandwiches .passjadja'cent the;;i nc1ined trough 85, they are.Lplflkedlofi .thezzconveyor 81 by an operator and placed 'inlthe trough85 down which they slide,

by; gravity'andpass onto the conveyor belt or straifto be presentlydescribed.

.=.The'"ri'ght-hand end of the trough 85 has a clip welded to the lowersurface of the same which; is slidably penetrated by a rod 9| securedthe c ip mwrlos n 9 threadably o d on the same. Thisrod BI extendsdownwardly an su ves a i htan and then extends to ,the left in Figure';2and isbent downwardly at an; angle an'd sliglably penetrates a clip towhich it,issecuredby locknuts 96. The clip 95 is secured as by ascrew 91to the right-hand d 0f.. 'ba 0..in Fi ur T e purpose of the rod 9I is tosupport the free end of the trough 85L The ,plate 83 (Fi ures 2 and 9)has an opening 99.therein,on each side of which suitable bearing blocks98 are welded. The bearing blocks 98 have a shaft I80 rotatably mountedtherein on which a pulley I B2 is fixedly mounted. The shaft IGIL. has aV-pulley I05' fixedly mounted on one-end thereofand this V-pulley I05 isengaged by a-v belt I06 which extends downwardly and engages a smaller\l-pulley III). The V- pulleyxljlfl is fixedly, mountedona shaft IIIextending zfrom a, conventional ratiomotor of a .typeLsuchJas ismanufactured by Boston Gear .Works,'.-:Inc., 14= HaywardStreet, NorthQuincy 71', Massachusetts; andis shown in their Catalogue No. 54 on page162, which is a conventional reduction gearlmotor. .:The .ratiomotor II2has electric wires H3 and H4 'extending'frorncthe same to a suitablesource of electrical energy, not shown. The ratiomotor I'I2 -is clampedon the bar '50 by means of bolts :I I5 which penetrate opposite ends ofbars I I! and I18 .which pass-b'eneaththe bar 50 to thus clampthe'moto'r lmzon thebar'50. s

' -The 'pulIey I iJZ has mounted thereon a conveyor tape I2I5th'euppertreach-of which passes into a substantially ushaped trough'lfihaving side walls 1 2t anaqzas 'The'left-hand portion of the 'whicnispenetrated-by a screw I33 threada-bly ir'nbedded inthe'right-' hand endof the bar ,1; in w The IJQ-shaped troughmember walls 123 and I24 issecured-on tthe top surface ofthehoriz ontally disposed plate;-65,.by.any=suitable. means such as spot-welding.

It will be noted in Figure 1 that the'left-hand sideiwalll 23 ofthetroughl I22 is somewhat short-' 'erin'length than theJright-hand sidewall I24 zand th'erbottomlof theftrou'gh I22. extends a substantialdistance beyond the side walls I23and I24 to the o11ter-or left-handedgeof the bar fil in Figure 2. I

trough I-22 has :an upwardlybent portion Moi-at its 'le'it 'hand end inFigure -2 to which an angle :clip :I H is secured -as by -bolts I l-2(Figures 1,42, z-3, 5, .=6. .and' 7) The angle clip :I M -is slidablypenetrated bya'stud I43 we1dedto an adjustableeguide plate .14 4 whichextendsover the-conveyortape IZ I.-in:Figures -1 and-6 and extends-tothe left ins-Figure 1 :to serve. as aguide asthe sandwiches, indicatedat siniFigure i7, aremoved oif theponveyor tape I2-'I, by'- mean-s to belater described, and onto the plates 5 -'of the conveyor I 2. L'Ilhestud 443 isith'e-Fsole means-of support forzthe sideirailil ld and has1ock:nuts I46 threadably mounted thereon and engaging opposite sides o'fthe angle clip M I Jforsecuring -the guide rail AIM in the desiredadjusted position. ifieferringito Figure 3, it may beobserved that theguide'rail has. an elongate'd slot I=5Il therein which is looselypenetrated by La finger -"-I5I which-extends inwardlyand iscurved, as at152, over the conveyorvtape M l. The otherendof this finger -IEI issecu1ed-as,.-by apressed fit, in a block 1' 53 oscillatably mountedon apin I54 secured, as by :a pressed fit, in spaced outwardlyextending-ears 1 55 and lfifi welded .to the guide rail I544. Alltorsionspring I60 dsdisposed around the pin .154 between-the upper .endof theblock lifimandtthe -upper end-of the ear -I-55 in Figures 3 and:-5.anduengages the-guide'rail H4 at one end 7 thereof and the-other end-fthe torsion spring l fiillenga'ges the block ilii'ittothus urge thefinger I:5.I .in a counterclockwise:direction -in Figures 1, 6,.and 7. v

'.-The1-purposes-of the :finger 45 I is to-engag'e the sandwich. Snearest the guide-bar 144 in Figures lrandadiassthe sandwichesare=fed=bythe endless conveyorrltl KEigureiZ)- The finger engages thesandwich Sladjacentthe loweredge of the same tmthuspreventthe sandwichesfrom falling over a they; arcanovedtowards LtheJuide member I 44 by.therconveyor itape I2 I-. The torsion in the springrlt'ill is veryilight .and therefore the .frictional contact between the sandwiches andthe c'onveyorzitape :Il'ZI willztsufiice.to sovercome the resistance oftheitor-sion 'rspring 1:59 ,and the finger I;-I. iAnelseshapedlguiderail.lifill is :disposed on thezopposite side :o'fthe plate members 36 ofthe conveyor li and thiszls-shapediguide member I 60 hasi'azlegil'fil(Figures l.and.:5).rhaving slots IE2 therein which-areslidablypenetrated by screws I.63:}f.or adjustably securing the.L-shaped guide memberzIG-B :tdthe vertic-alesi'de wall l23 of thetrough ol-2 .2.

.The L-shapedguide rail I-fiilis :bent .:outwardly asatz Hi5ztot-husz'form van opening .I 66 (Figure 1) and in which a pivoted cammember I161 is disposed. This :cam member LIN-is provided to assist inguidingthe'sandwiches S from the conveyor :tape -l-2 I onto the platearnember 35 as will beflatendescribed. The cam member I61 (Figures 11,5,:and 6) ihaswearsllfiand I1I integral therewithwhichareslidablypenetrated by a pin I12 which also spans the distancethere-between and has a torsion spring I13 surrounding the same. Thistorsion spring engages the surface of thecam member I51 nearest theobserverin Figure .5 "and the upperend of the. torsion springFlt-engages .a verticallydisposed plate I15. having ears 1-1-6 ,and I11integral therewith, the proximate surfaces of which engage the remotesurfaces of-itheears Itand !-1I, respectively, of the pivoted .cammemberI51.

The .plate I15 has slots therein which coincide guide member l tllandthese coincidingislots are also slidably penetrated by ,the screwsl-.63- and lit is thus seen that these screws 163 also :serve to securethe plate 115 to thevertical-sidewall I23 of the trough 1 2 2.

The conveyor sprocket chair-1& urhich vis'aapart of the conveyor I2integral with the-said wrapping machine, is driven bymeans, notshown,:associated with the said swrapping machine and thereforetransmits rotation to the sprocket wheel 3| and, in turn, to the shaft36. The shaft so has a sprocket wheel Hill-on the lower end thereof :inFigure 1, and this sprocket wheel 1-810 has a sprocket chain I 8|mounted thereonavhich extends to and is mounted on a sprocket wheel E82fixedlymounted-on a shaft 83. The shaft !83 (Figures 1, 4 and-5) isrotatablymountedin bearing blocks 1'85 secured to plates IBfi welded tothe rods fiiandfii. The bearingiblocks I85 aresecured to the-platesIiidasby screws I81.

The shaft lilii has ifixedly mounted thereon :an idler gear l st? whichmeshes with a gear -I'9I fixedly .mounted'onzashatt I92 (Figures -2, 3and '5). "Theshaft I92 is-rotatably mounted in bearing blocksdd secured,as by screws I95, to plates E96 weldedto the rods 52.and 55 and beingdisposed on the side of the rods 52 and 55 opposite from thatlside onwhich the, plates I86 are welded. I r

The shaft i432 has a cam wheel I91 fixedly secured thereon which has anarcuate portion 591a with a-lar-ge radius and anarcuate portion- Ii'llbwith asmaller radius. The cam wheel I91 engages a cam follower "I 98rotatably mounted on a shoulder pin 2.19 projecting from aforkedmember2a! the forked end of which straddles the shaft I92 to thus serve as aguiding means for the fork 41. ember -2lll during its reciprocatorymovement. This fork memberllll has a bar 2% welded to the same (Figures1, 3, 4 and 6).,to whicha stub shaft 235 is weldedand thisshaft 205 hasa cuff member 206 fixedly mounted thereon as by a'set screw 261. v a

The cull member 206 has a shoulder screw illi! threadably imbeddedtherein and on which a medial portion of a lever arm 2H is oscillatablymounted. This lever arrnZ I I extends downward ly in Figure 4 andispivotly mounted as at 252 on a'bar 255, secured as by a screw 2H5(Figure 2') to a plate 213. The plate 2I3 extends upwardly and .iswelded to a larger plate 2M which is secured as by welding at itsleft-hand edge thereof,in Figure 4, to the bottom portion of the troughI22. A red 2 I1 is welded at opposite ends to the bar 215 and the rod 55to lend rigidity to. the

platesfi I3 and 2M. 1

Attention is called to the fact that the lefthand side of the bottom ofthe trough I22 is bent downwardly to-iorma plate member 226 across whichthe sandwiches'S pass as they are moved from the conveyortape I2I ontothe plates'35 of the conveyor It, by means to-be presently described. I

The plate 2M has guide blocks 223 secured thereon as by screws 224 andin which a shaft 225 has horizontal sliding movement. The shaft 225 hasa cult member-22% adjustably'mounted thereon, as by a setscrew x221.The'leverarrn'zl i has a'slot 239 at its upper end-thereof, in Figure 4,and this slot :233 is slidably penetrated by the set screw 221 andit isthus seen'that =as the cam wheel I61 rotates in one direction-or theother in Figure 4 and as the .arcuate surface 491a of the cam wheelengages'thecamiollowerE I 93/1311? lever arm 2 II is moved from theposition shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 3. In sodoing, this will, of course, move the shaft 225 from left to right orfrom the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 3.

The shaft 225 has a plate 232 weldedwon the left-hand end thereof inFigures 1, 4 and 6 and thisplate 232 has a plate 233 secured thereto, as

by spot welding, and this plate 233 has a horizontally. disposed guideplate 234- integral therewith and being disposed at right angles to theplate 233. l

The plates 232 and 233 have coinciding slots 235 therein which areloosely penetrated by the free end of the finger I I. The shaft 225 alsohas a spring perch 236 adjustably. mounted thereon as by a set screw 231and this spring perch extends upwardly in Figure 4 and has one end of atension spring 240 connected thereto the other end of which is connectedto a suitable spring perch 24I mounted on the upper edge of the plate2I4 in Figure 4. It is thus seen that the tension spring 240 will urgethe shaft 225 and associated parts towards the left in Figure 4 and willalso cause the ,cam follower I98 to remain in engagement with the camwheel I91 at all times.

Method of operation In the operation of this device the reduction gearmotor I I2 transmits rotation to the V-pulley H9 at all times therebytransmitting continuous movement from right to left of the upper reachof the conveyor tape I2I in Figure 2'. The sprocket chain 32 of theconveyor I2 is caused by the said wrapping machine to move in step bystep relation and this will, of course, transmit step by step rotationthrough the sprocket wheels I89 and M2 and the sprocket chain I8I to theshaft I83 on which the gear I99 is mounted and this gear I99 willtransmit rotation to the shaft I92 through the gear I9I.

It is thus seen that the cam wheel I91 will be caused to rotate in stepby step relation, completing one revolution upon each step of rotationof the shaft I92. An operator picks the sandwiches S or the like, oil"of the conveyor 81 and places them in the chute or trough 85 and thesandwiches S then slide, by gravity, onto the conveyor tape I2I and arethus carried along the conveyor tape to where the first of thesandwiches S engages the portion I52 of the finger I5I to prevent it andthe sandwiches thereagainst from falling over, as has heretofore beendescribed. The sandwiches S then move the finger I5 I, from the positionshown in Figure 1, in a clockwise direction to where the first ofthe'sandwiches will engage the guide rail I44 (Figure 1). A step'inrotation is then imparted to. the cam wheel I91 in the manner heretoforedescribed to thus cause the shaft 225 to move from the position shown inFigure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4 and thus'the plate 233 willengage the edges of the sandwiches disposed in the path of the same andwill move the same from right to left in Figures 1, 4 and 6 to where thesandwiches S will be moved onto the plate 229 and finally onto anadjacent plate 35 of the conveyor I2.

Now as the plate 233 moves from the position shown in Figure 3to theposition shown in Figures 4 and 6, the plate 234 crosses the path of thesandwiches on the conveyor tape I2I thus preventing the sandwiches frommoving back of the plate 232, where they would interfere with the returnstroke, of the shaft 225 and associated parts. I will be noted in Figure6 that as the sandwiches are moved 01f the conveyor tape I2I in a mannerheretofore described, the portion I52 of the finger I5I is urged by thetorsion spring I59 to'where the portion I52 will engage the verticalsurface ofplate 234 and upon the return stroke of the shaft 225 andassociated partsthe finger I5I is straddled by the walls of the slot 235in the plates 232 and 233 and it is obvious that when the plate 233 hasagain returned to the position shownin Figure 1 the finger I5I willagain be engaged by the first'of the sandwiches S on the conveyor'tapeI2I to thus repeat the operation as heretofore described.

Due to the fact that the combined thickness of, the sandwiches in thepath of the plate 233, which in this instance is four sandwiches, isvariable, it is necessary that the guide rails I44 and I60 be adjustablein the manner heretofore described. However, this adjustment in manyinstances, is not satisfactory to constant operation of the apparatus inthat some of the sandwiches may be considerably thicker than others, andtherefore, the pivoted cam member I51 is provided.- Referring to Figure6 it may be ob-' served that as the plates 232 and 233 move from rightto left, in the manner heretofore described, the vertical portion of thepivoted cam member I51 would engage the left-hand edge of the sandwich Swhich may roject out of the pathof the plate 233. This pivoted cammember I61, being urged in a counterclockwise direction in Figures 1, 5and '7 by the torsion spring I13 will, upon being engaged by the portionof the sandwich S projecting beyond the plates 233 and 234, be moved ina clockwise direction in Figure 6 and will thus serve to urge thesandwich toward the guide rail I44 as the sandwich moves the pivoted cammember I61 out of its path and itisthus seen that the pivoted cam memberI61 would engage the face of the sandwich nearest the guide rail I69 topress the same toward the guide rail I44 and to thus permit the sandwichS to pass by the guide rail I60 and to be properly alined for beingmoved onto the plates 35' of the conveyor I2. 1

Were it not for this pivoted cammember I61, the sandwich nearest theguide rail I69 would engage the proximate edge ofthe guide-rail I60 asit is moved from right to left in Figures 1 and 6 and this wouldprobably cause a portion of the sandwich to be separated from the mainportion thereof and would also cause filling F between the slices ofmaterial making up a sandwich to become lodged against the proximateedge of the guide rail I60 and as a result the machine would have to bestopped and thoroughly cleaned before the operation may again'berepeated as hereinbefore described.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for moving a plurality of sandwiches disposed in side byside relation onto a conveyor associated with a wrapping machinecomprising a sloping chute into which the sandwiches are adapted to bedisposed on edge and to be moved away fromthe lower end. of the chute bythe endless conveyor, a pair of upright spaced members disposed on theside edges of the conveyor and forming a channel along which thesandwiches are moved by the endless conveyor, a transverse wall memberat the end of the endless conveyor remote from the lower end of thechute and against which the sandwiches while disposed on edge are movedby the movement of the endless conveyor, the conveyor associated withthe wrapping machine being disposed in close proximity to the dischargeend of the endless conveyor and the wall on one side of the endlessconveyor adjacent the conveyor associated with the wrapping machinehaving an opening therein, a horizontally reciprocable plunger adaptedto move across the endless conveyor and to engage a plurality ofsandwiches disposed side by side upon their edges and to move onto theconveyor associated with the wrapping machine, a resilient fingermounted adjacent the discharge end of the endless conveyor and adaptedto press against the endmost of the sandwiches disposed on the endlessconveyor which is remote from the lower end of said chute to hold thesandwiches in upright position and being spring pressed to move againstthe endmost sandwich on the conveyor after a plurality of the same havebeen removed by the reciprocable plunger to hold the sandwiches in erectposition while the plunger is moving back and forth across the endlessconveyor, the resiliency of said spring moving said finger being such asto allow the pressure of the sandwiches disposed on the endless belt tomove it along with the endmost sandwich until the endmost sandwich hasreached the wall closing the end of the endless conveyor therebypositioning a plurality of additional sandwiches in the path of thereciprocable plunger after it has made a complete travel back and forthtowards and from the conveyor associated with the wrapping machine.

2. Apparatus for feeding a plurality of sandwiches and the like in abunch to a conveyor associated with a wrapping machine comprising aconstantly moving endless conveyor onto the upper reach of which thesandwiches are adapted to be fed to stand on edge in side-by-siderelation to each other, arresting means disposed above the upper reachof the conveyor for arresting movement of the sandwiches as the conveyorcontinues to move past the arrested sandwiches, a reciprocable plungeradapted to pass across and above the constantly moving conveyor adjacentthe arresting means i or removing a predetermined number of thesandwiches disposed adjacent the arresting means from the conveyor andbearing the same onto the conveyor associated with the wrapping machine,a resiliently mounted finger for engaging the sandwich on the endlessconveyor nearest the arresting means immediately after the plunger haswithdrawn from removing the plurality of sandwiches from the constantlymoving conveyor to thereby hold the sandwiches in erect position as theymove toward the arresting means and until the sandwich nearest thearresting means engages the arresting means in readiness for a repeatoperation.

3. Apparatus for moving a plurality of sandwiches disposed inside-by-side relation onto a conveyor associated with a wrapping machinecomprising a sloping chute into which the sandwiches are adapted to bedisposed on edge and in side-by-side relation, an endless conveyordisposed below the lower end of the chute and onto which the sandwicheswhile disposed on edge are adapted to be delivered from the chute and tobe moved away from the lower end of the chute by the endless conveyor, apair of upright spaced members disposed on the side edges of theconveyor and forming a channel along which the sandwiches are moved bythe endless conveyor remote from the lower end of the chute and againstwhich the sandwiches while disposed on edge are moved by the movement ofthe endless conveyor, the conveyor associated with the wrapping machinebeing disposed in close proximity to the discharge end of the endlessconveyor and the wall on one side of the endless conveyor adjacent theconveyor associated with the wrapping machine having an opening therein,a horizontally reciprocable plunger adapted to move across the endlessconveyor and to engage a plurality of sandwiches disposed side-by-sideupon their edges and to move the sandwiches onto the conveyor associatedwith the wrapping machine, spring loaded cam means disposed in the saidopening at the juncture of the endless conveyor and the conveyorassociated with the wrapping machine for engaging the sandwich beingmoved off of the conveyor which is disposed nearest the feed end of theendless conveyor in the event that a portion of the sandwich projectsbeyond the limits of the reciprocable plunger to thereby compress thesandwich slightly in a direction toward the discharge end of theconveyor and to thereby insure that the plurality of sandwiches movedonto the conveyor associated with the wrapping machine will not projectbeyond the limits of the conveyor onto which they are passed.

LEWELL O. MCCULLOUGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1,843,453 Littlefield Feb. 2,1932 2,016,820 Milmoe Oct. 8, 1935 2,299,504 Sargent Oct. 20, 19422,315,670 Tascher et a1. Apr. 6, 1943 2,434,772 Sandberg Jan. 20, 1948

